What a sweet story. It really made me happy to see that Harry finally had a family of his own in the epilogue of DH. I can't imagine not having the amazing family surrounding me that I have been blessed with. Thank you for sharing your story. I am off to read the third one. I finished "the letter" last week. Loved it. I think I left a review.

Oh what a wonderful Christmas present this is! I loved it! It was so sweet, and it brought tears to my eyes. What a great job you did writing it! And I just wanted to say that I love the way that you write the banter between the Weasley brothers and Harry in this and your other story 'The Letter" Thank you for the wonderful read! I'll keep my eyes open for anymore stories that you write!

Author's Response: Thank you very much. I have a couple of other stories in the works. One is moving along a little better than the other right now, but we'll see which one wins the race. Your reviews are so deeply appreciated. Happy New Year!

I just loved it. I'll stick with that one too. We seem to want the same thing, Harry to be happy with Ginny, a normal life, etc.
Merry Christmas.

Author's Response: With Harry's vision in the Mirror of Erised, it's very obvious to me what would make the bells ring for him. That sense of connection he felt when he saw people who looked like him. . . Imagine how he must have felt when Albus was born! And yes, I do want that for Harry. Every time I think about that damned cupboard under the stairs, I just want to hug him andmake it all better, and I'm so glad he finally had people in his life who did just that. Hope your holidays were wonderful. Thanks for the review!

That was just lovely! I read and thoroughly adored The Letter (which I always tried to review on ginnypotter before I found it here) and was so glad to see this posted as a bit of holiday cheer. I do look forward to a possible Teddy Lupin story in the new year!

Author's Response: I'm glad you found me here, because I don't think I'll be posting on ginnypotter again. I had way too many problems updating chapters and I couldn't respond to reviews on that site, which I found really frustrating. I'm so glad you enjoyed The Letter and my Christmas story. I'm making progress on my Teddy story, but it's coming slowly, not just because of the holiday rush, but because I'm dealing with a relatively new character that Jo hasn't already fleshed out for me, so it's a bit more challenging. At any rate, thanks for your review and your kind words. Have a very happy holiday season.

Very sweet! I hope you'll continue to write. Also, as a friendly sidenote: I'm sure you've seen it already, but as I know you like to keep within canon--there's a new interview, on the Leaky podcast I believe, with Jo... Has some more tidbits to help shape your endearing and entertaining version of "reality". :) Keep up the good work!

Author's Response: I have heard the Leaky podcast and I'll certainly be tuning into the other half of that interview next week. Actually, I was rather pleased to see that some of my "guesses" match Jo's version of reality as well. I am certainly continuing to write. I've started a new fic that doesn't rely quite so much on canon evidence as it focuses primarily on a character that was barely introduced in DH, Teddy Lupin. However, Jo may come out with additional facts about him that could blow my theories all to hell, so it's always a gamble. Thanks for reviewing and have a very happy holiday season.

You have no idea how excited I was to get an e-mail this morning saying that this story was posted! I was so worried it wouldn't be posted before Christmas and I've so been looking forward to it since you finished The Letter. I only just got a chance to read this one, and I absolutely love it. It's just like The Letter - everyone is totally in character, which is one of the many things I love about your writing. Of course Ron would worry about holding a baby and Hermione would show him how it's done, and it's great to see a little of their love in here too. And I also enjoyed seeing that James has been James from the very start, punching Harry in the face a minute after being born! It's great to see how Harry really truly appreciates love after knowing what it's like not to have it, from loving Ginny to holding James' hand for the first time to having the huge Weasley family outside the delivery room waiting for him. I really loved the sentence that said "And he learned about love that was an ache in the heart, a steady, physical pain that never went away, yet also made him feel that he could fly without a broom, a vibrant color on the palette of life that gave it meaning and purpose." It's sentences like this one that prove that you are a great writer, that you can do way more than take ready-made characters and continue their story. I can't wait to read your story about Teddy and I really hope you consider writing more after that. I hope you have a great holiday, and I'm really looking forward to reading everything else you have up your sleeve!

Author's Response: Hi, Raging Tomato! Good to hear from you again. I was a little worried this wouldn't appear before Christmas myself as I first posted it weeks ago, but on the first pass-through they found a minor error and bumped it to the bottom of the queue. It was a very near thing, let me tell you! I'm so glad you enjoyed this little one-shot. The story of the bells has always been very special to me, and in light of Harry's vision in the Mirror of Erised, I felt it was fairly obvious what would make the bells ring for him. My Teddy story is coming along, but very slowly as I haven't quite decided where to go with it yet (having holiday chaos breaking all around me isn't exactly helping) and Teddy is turning into a much more complex character than I expected him to be. At any rate, thanks so much for your detailed, thoughtful review and your very kind words. I hope your holidays are joyful and please accept my best wishes for a wonderful new year.

hi its me again
im on the phone with my very nosy best freind *she gasps* and she wants me ask you what your next story is about

me and alot of my freinds hope you will write a story in according to what happens with ron and hermione when they decide to have rose
(lola thinks that would be cool)

Author's Response: The story that I'm working on right now features Teddy Lupin as the main character, though it'll have a lot of Harry/Ginny and the Weasleys as well, because they figure so prominently in Teddy's life. I don't know about the Rose story because, while I adore Ron & Hermione, there are so many other writers who do such a superb job with those two that I don't know if there's much of anything I could add. I'll think about it, though. I'm hoping to have my Teddy story ready to start posting by early in the new year. It's going very slowly at the moment because of all the holiday confusion, but I'm making a little progress. It'll pick up right about the time The Letter leaves off, though it includes a lot of flashbacks and reflection as Teddy thinks back over his life, particularly his feelings about his parents. It seems good so far, but I still haven't figured out exactly where I want to go with it. We'll see how it plays out. In the meantime, have a very Merry Christmas, Lola, and your friends too!

Author's Response: Thank you! I'm so glad you enjoyed it. I am indeed continuing to write, and have already started a new fanfic, with Teddy Lupin as the central character, that picks up about the time The Letter ends. Merry Christmas to you as well and a very happy New Year.

Cassandra,
I've missed your writing and have been hoping daily for this story. True to your word it came before the holiday. It truly was lovely and made me cry. It was just so touching, sweet, funny, and true to the characters; exactly what we have come to expect from you. I am so glad to read you are working on a full-length fiction (is it the Teddy story you were thinking of?) I don't care what it is since I love your writing. I said it all through The Letter, if Jo won't write book 8 (although, did you read her last interview, sometimes she thinks about it) you are a great second! Have a Happy New Year and I sooo look forward to your next story.

Author's Response: Hello, Ida! I've missed you too. Clearly I am going to have to hurry up with my new fic and get it posted so I'll have an excuse to correspond with lovely people like yourself (and yes, Teddy is the central character in this one; it picks up about the time The Letter ends and includes a lot of trio-plus-Ginny, in addition to other members of the irrespressible Weasley clan). It's going slowly at the moment, however, with all the holiday fol-de-rol. Bah, humbug! Someday I shall have a visit from three spirits on Dec. 24, I feel sure. I am so glad you enjoyed this little one-shot. The story of the bells has been a favorite of mine since before I can remember, and it did seem ideally suited to Harry. Have a very happy holiday season and I hope to hear from you again early in the new year.